Feature
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“I Love You” in a Language My Parents Could Speak
Written by Jodie Li “I love you.” Three words that, for many Asian Americans, aren’t a daily reassurance but almost a shock to hear. If I heard those words from my parents, I’d honestly be worried something bad had happened. But not hearing “I love you” doesn’t mean love isn’t there. Many Asian immigrants grew up in cultures where words of affirmation weren’t the norm. Love was shown, not said. It’s like speaking different languages; you wouldn’t expect someone to understand you if you only spoke yours and never tried to learn theirs. The same goes for love. I’ve learned to listen for “I love you” in the language my…
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When Pixar Feels Like a Love Letter: Watching “Elemental”
Written by Mikhaella Lopez The theme of love is a recurring point that is seen in almost every Pixar movie. Whether that be familial love like Marlin and Nemo in Finding Nemo, or a platonic love between Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan in Monsters University, love exists in every single movie Pixar has created. As someone who grew up watching Disney and Pixar movies, I fell in love with the different characters throughout the years; from Lightning McQueen from Cars to Mama Imelda from Coco, there were many characters to love. I first heard of Elemental back when I still used to work as a boba barista at a…
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A Reflection On Asian Americans’ Political Resistance
Written by Paulina Tep When I started my freshman year at UD in Fall ‘24, I was beyond excited to join the APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) community here. Planning for college in high school, I was eager to finally escape the predominantly white community I was surrounded by. Despite UD’s PWI status, I knew that anyone of any background could find community here. So when it came time for the Involvement Fair, I ran to all of the Asian RSOs I could find. Since then, participating in these RSOs has been an amazing experience for me – the clubs are phenomenal at cultivating fun and cultural events. While…
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The ABG: A Label Built On Struggle
Written by Paulina Tep When you hear the term “ABG,” you think of the Asian Baby Girl: she’s got bleached hair, wears heavy lashes, is obsessed with raves, and is a certified bobaholic. The ABG is the antithesis of Western society’s expectations of women: bold and sexy, not passive and dainty. While this is the widely accepted definition of an ABG, I have noticed a shift in how it is presented in recent years. Several other youth subcultures of the past decades have transitioned into a social media “aesthetic,” including the ABG. The ABG style is about visuals now and not culture. My observation is that while the standard ABG…
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Love Letters to my Loved Ones
Written by Ruthie Suarez To My Sweetest Companions, Carson & Cardo You both came into my life when I needed something quiet, something warm, someone who didn’t ask questions. And somehow, you just knew. Carson, you are my loud little comfort machine. When my anxiety starts climbing, and my thoughts feel too big, you jump onto my chest and start purring like you’re on a mission. It’s not a soft background hum. It’s deep and steady and powerful. Your whole body vibrates against mine, and somehow my breathing slows to match it. My heart settles. The panic fades. Cardo, you are my quiet warmth. The one who curls perfectly into…
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Lunar New Year, Lunar Nostalgia: How My Family Celebrates
Written by Will Chen Lunar New Year is one of my favorite holidays because its themes center on renewal, family, fortune, and prosperity. Each year, my family hosts a gathering and prepares a wide variety of Chinese dishes for everyone to enjoy. Cousins, aunts, and uncles come together to catch up and share updates about their lives. This sense of connection and togetherness is what makes me look forward to Lunar New Year each year. Traditional Lunar New Year Foods: One of my favorite dishes that my parents prepare each year is Cantonese-style ginger scallion lobster. This dish highlights the natural sweetness of lobster, enhanced by ginger and scallions that…
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Date Nights on a Budget
Written by Asmi Chinauriya Somehow, someway, we have started associating dates with a price tag. The bill on the first date is the main topic of many conversations, especially on social media. However, this does not mean that date nights always have to be in a high-end restaurant with a bill to pay. You should not have to wait for a bonus or your paycheck to spend a romantic night with someone that you love. Date nights can simply involve doing things together that you both enjoy. Learning new hobbies together, spending time on said hobbies together, and many more. Here are more examples: Cooking: it can be themed on…
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How the Holidays Have Changed
Written by Mark Arranguez Each year, as the Christmas season approaches, my family would set aside a weekend to bring decorations down from the attic, adorn our tree, and fill each room with red, green, and gold. Over time, however, the help behind that tradition has dwindled. Early on, my dad limited himself to only the heavy lifting due to a “lack of creative vision.” In 2018, my brother began college, and the decorating fell to my mom and me. Then, when I began college in 2022, decorating became a chore to have to squeeze into Thanksgiving Break. As my on-campus responsibilities grew, I began to wish that when I…
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How I’m Spending Winter Break
Written by Hannah Sazon One thing about UD is that we are blessed with an especially long winter break. With classes not starting back up until February, breaks are a rare opportunity to actually breathe, reset, and make the most of the time we don’t have during the semester. Instead of letting it slip by, I am planning to make the most of this break by keeping myself busy, balancing rest, personal interests, and preparation for the spring semester. During the semester, hobbies are the first thing to go when things get hectic, so one of my priorities this break is to get back into the things I enjoy. I…
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How to: Become a True Academic Weapon
Written by Francesca Tero Hey AAPC fam! It’s that beloved time of year again! The holidays! Hmm… well, not quite yet. It’s actually finals season, but your brain likely can’t tell the difference with the amount of emotions you might be feeling. So close yet so far. Many of us are college students balancing our challenging course loads, executive board positions, and RSO involvements, as well as jobs or internships. We may have some courses where the final is optional, or we only need an easily attainable score to pass. However, we may also have some courses where we are becoming an Excel mastermind to create a foolproof grade calculator…
